EP0314308B2 - Résonateur avec une cellule Raman dans la cavité - Google Patents

Résonateur avec une cellule Raman dans la cavité Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0314308B2
EP0314308B2 EP88309033A EP88309033A EP0314308B2 EP 0314308 B2 EP0314308 B2 EP 0314308B2 EP 88309033 A EP88309033 A EP 88309033A EP 88309033 A EP88309033 A EP 88309033A EP 0314308 B2 EP0314308 B2 EP 0314308B2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
frequency
stokes
light
pumping
raman
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP88309033A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0314308B1 (fr
EP0314308A1 (fr
Inventor
Donald E. Narhi
Robert D. Stultz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Raytheon Co
Original Assignee
Hughes Aircraft Co
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Application filed by Hughes Aircraft Co filed Critical Hughes Aircraft Co
Publication of EP0314308A1 publication Critical patent/EP0314308A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0314308B1 publication Critical patent/EP0314308B1/fr
Publication of EP0314308B2 publication Critical patent/EP0314308B2/fr
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S3/00—Lasers, i.e. devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wave range
    • H01S3/10—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating
    • H01S3/106—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating by controlling devices placed within the cavity
    • H01S3/108—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating by controlling devices placed within the cavity using non-linear optical devices, e.g. exhibiting Brillouin or Raman scattering
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S3/00—Lasers, i.e. devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wave range
    • H01S3/10—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating
    • H01S3/106—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating by controlling devices placed within the cavity
    • H01S3/108—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating by controlling devices placed within the cavity using non-linear optical devices, e.g. exhibiting Brillouin or Raman scattering
    • H01S3/1086—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating by controlling devices placed within the cavity using non-linear optical devices, e.g. exhibiting Brillouin or Raman scattering using scattering effects, e.g. Raman or Brillouin effect

Definitions

  • the invention relates to laser systems which utilize a Raman cell in order to (1) shift laser frequency and (2) shorten laser pulse duration.
  • the second Stokes beam, 6,094 CM -1 is illustrated by dashed line 9.
  • Mirrors 12 and 15 define the ends of a resonant cavity which is resonant at the first Stokes frequency.
  • a Raman medium 18, in the form of gaseous hydrogen at 40 atmospheres pressure, is located within the resonant cavity.
  • Mirrors 21 and 24 contained within the resonant cavity are reflective at the first Stokes frequency, but are transmissive at both the pumping frequency and the second Stokes frequency, as indicated by the passage of both solid line 3 and dashed line 9, through the mirrors 21 and 24.
  • Other mirrors and detectors which were used to measure the three light beams are not shown in Fig. 1.
  • a ruby laser 27 generates a pumping pulse which is injected into the resonant cavity as indicated by arrow 30.
  • a second, injection pulse (of three millijoule energy, three nanosecond duration, and at the first Stokes frequency) indicated by arrow 33, is also injected into the cavity, just prior to the injection of the pumping pulse 30.
  • the injected pulse 33 is derived from the pumping pulse by apparatus indicated by block 36, which splits off the injection pulse from the pumping pulse, shapes it and amplifies it.
  • FIG. 2A-D comprising the left column of the figure, illustrate intensity-versus-time plots of the three laser beams in Figure 1, where both the pumping pulse 30 and injection illustrated by arrow 33 in Fig. 1 occur.
  • the right hand column including Figs. 2A′- D′, illustrate comparable plots, but with pumping only (i.e., without injection.)
  • Figs. 2A and A′ illustrate the intensity versus-time behavior of the pumping pulse 30, measured approximately at point 39 in Fig. 1.
  • the measurement was taken in both cases with hydrogen absent from the Raman cell 18.
  • plots of Fig. 2A and A′ are virtually identical, consistent with the absence of Raman scattering because of the absence of hydrogen.
  • Figs. 2B and B′ illustrate the intensity of the pumping pulse 30, again at point 39, but in the presence of 40 atmosphere hydrogen in the Raman cell.
  • the presence of the hydrogen causes a depletion in the pumping pulse (e.g., at region 42) and, further, a greater depletion is obtained in the presence of the injected pulse 33 in Fig. 1, as illustrated by Fig. 2B.
  • Figs. 2C and C′ illustrate the intensity of the first Stokes frequency, measured at approximately region 45 in Fig. 1.
  • Figs. 2D and D′ illustrate the intensity of the second Stokes frequency, measured approximately at region 48 in Fig. 1. In these latter two figures, the duration of the second Stokes pulse is approximately two nanoseconds.
  • this reference is viewed as illustrating the use of hydrogen as a Raman medium, the medium being contained within a cavity which is resonant at the first Stokes frequency for hydrogen, and from which the following shifting of wave length and pulse compression are obtained: a pumping pulse having a full width at half maximum of twenty five nanoseconds, and a frequency of 14,404 CM -1 , was shifted and compressed into a second Stokes pulse of duration of approximately two nanoseconds, at a frequency of 6,094 CM -1 .
  • the former is shown in Figs. 2A and A′, while the latter is shown in Figs. 2D and D′.
  • a second reference is R. Frey, A. deMartino, and F. Pradere, "High Efficiency Pulse Compression With Intracavity Raman Oscillators", Optics Letters, Volume 8, No. 8, Page 437, 1983.
  • Mirrors 50 and 53 define the ends of a cavity which is resonant at the pumping frequency, which is the same frequency as that in the previous reference, namely 14,404 CM -1 .
  • a ruby laser 56 injects optical energy into this resonant cavity.
  • a Q switch 59 spoils the Q of the resonant cavity.
  • Contained within this resonant cavity is a pair of Raman cells 62 and 64 containing pressurized hydrogen.
  • Mirrors 67 and 70 are reflective at the pumping frequency, as indicated by the reflection of laser beam 73, but are transmissive to the first Stokes frequency illustrated by dotted line 76.
  • Mirror 82 is 100% reflective at the first Stokes frequency (which is 10,249 CM -1 , as in the first reference) while mirror 79 has a four percent reflectivity at the first Stokes frequency, thus being very transmissive at this frequency.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates three pulse profiles obtained at the pumping and Stokes frequencies.
  • Fig. 4A illustrates an intensity-versus-time profile of the pumping pulse with mirrors 79 and 82 removed. The intensity was measured approximately at point 85 in Fig. 3.
  • Fig. 4B illustrates the pumping pulse intensity, but with mirrors 79 and 82 installed, thus providing a Stokes cavity between them.
  • Fig. 4C illustrates the output at the first Stokes frequency, measured approximately at region 88 in Fig. 3. A time scale of ten nanoseconds is indicated in Fig. 4.
  • the first reference discussed a resonant cavity which is resonant at the first Stokes frequency for hydrogen, and the compressed pulse was obtained at the second Stokes frequency.
  • a Raman laser apparatus which acts as an optical wavelength shifter and pulse compressor, in which a Stokes cavity containing the Raman medium is contained entirely within a cavity which also contains a Q-switch and a lasing medium and is resonant at the pumping frequency.
  • Mirrors defining the Raman cavity may be selected so as to promote first or second Stokes output.
  • US Patent No. 3 668 420 discloses a Raman laser apparatus having two discrete oscillator cavities, a laser cavity and a Raman cavity, arranged in series. According to this document, concave mirrors or converging lenses may be provided around the Raman medium to focus the laser light therein.
  • the invention provides an optical wavelength shifter and pulse compressor according to Claim 1.
  • Fig. 5 illustrates one form of the present invention.
  • Laser 90 is a Nd(YAG) rod 4.3 x 45 millimeters, having a surface 92 having a high-reflective coating at 1.06 micron wave length.
  • dye Q switch 94 oriented at 45 degrees to the optical axis 96.
  • a ten meter focal lens 98 precedes a mirror 101 on the optical path.
  • Mirror 101 is high-reflectivity coated at 1.54 micron, and 43 percent reflectivity coated at 1.06 micron. That is, mirror 101 is 60% transmissive at the pumping wave length of 1.06 micron and reflective at the first Stokes wave length of 1.54 micron.
  • a +63 millimeter focal length lens 104 precedes a Raman cell 106 which contains gaseous methane at 1,000 PSIG.
  • a +63 millimeter focal lens 107 follows the Raman cell, and in turn is followed by an output mirror 110 which is reflective at the pumping frequency of 1.06 micron and transmissive (i.e., 12% reflective) at the first Stokes wave length of 1.54 micron.
  • the cavity extending from surface 92 to mirror 110 is resonant (i.e., high Q) at the pumping frequency, while the cavity between mirror 101 and output mirror 110 is low Q at the first Stokes wavelength of 1.54 micron.
  • the first Stokes wavelengths transmitted through output mirror 110 is plotted as a function of time in Fig. 6.
  • the pulse 112 has a full width half maximum of 2.1 nanoseconds. Energy of this wave length can safely impinge upon the human eye without damage.
  • Fig. 7 illustrates the decay in first Stokes energy output with misalignment of mirror 110 in Fig. 5.
  • the degree of misalignment is indicated by angle 113, which is plotted on the horizontal axis in Fig. 7.
  • Angle 113 is illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein a phantom mirror 110A illustrates misalignment (i.e., rotation of mirror 110.)
  • the inventors point out that the misalignment sensitivity experienced by the present invention is significantly less than that experienced by common, single mirror Raman resonators. Restated, the present invention tolerates greater mirror misalignment than does a single mirror Raman resonator, and, it is assumed, tolerates greater misalignment than the invention described in reference 2 above.
  • the invention includes a first cavity, between surface 92 and mirror 110 in Fig. 5, which is resonant at the pumping frequency.
  • a second cavity, between mirrors 101 and 110 is entirely contained within the first cavity, as is the Raman cell 106.
  • Lenses 98 and 104 serve to focus the laser beam within the Raman medium.
  • Mirrors 101 and 110 can be viewed as filters, in the sense that they selectively pass one frequency and reflect another frequency.
  • mirror 101 acts as a bandpass filter at the laser pumping frequency passing pumping radiation to the Raman cell 106, while acting as a cut-off filter which blocks passage (i.e., reflects) at the first Stokes frequency. The blocked radiation is returned to the Stokes cavity containing the Raman medium.
  • mirror 110 acts as a filter which reflects pumping radiation, returning such radiation to the second cavity (through which it travels en route to the reflective surface 92) and also acts as a bandpass filter, or output coupler, in passing radiation at the first Stokes frequency. That is, the mirror 110 acts as an exit for light at the first Stokes frequency.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Nonlinear Science (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Lasers (AREA)
  • Optical Communication System (AREA)
  • Investigating, Analyzing Materials By Fluorescence Or Luminescence (AREA)
  • Light Guides In General And Applications Therefor (AREA)

Claims (1)

  1. Dispositif de décalage de longueur d'onde optique et de compression d'impulsion comprenant les éléments optiques suivants, disposés sur un trajet optique commun dans l'ordre suivant :
    (a) un milieu à effet laser (90) pour produire de la lumière à une fréquence de pompage, le milieu à effet laser ayant une surface (92) située à une extrémité, qui est réfléchissante pour de la lumière à la fréquence de pompage;
    (b) un commutateur de Q (94) pour transmettre de la lumière provenant du milieu à effet laser (90) à la fréquence de pompage ;
    (c) un élément (101) recevant la lumière du commutateur de Q (94), l'élément (101) étant transmetteur de la lumière à la fréquence de pompage et réfléchissant de la lumière à une première fréquence de Stokes ;
    (d) une lentille focale (104) pour focaliser de la lumière provenant de l'élément (101) ;
    (e) un milieu à effet Raman (106) qui rayonne à la première fréquence de Stokes en réponse à de la lumière à la fréquence de pompage provenant de la lentille focale (104) ;
    (f) un coupleur de sortie (110) recevant de la lumière du milieu à effet Raman, le coupleur de sortie (110) étant réfléchisseur de la lumière à la fréquence de pompage et transmetteur de la lumière à la première fréquence de Stokes,
    la distance optique entre la surface (92) et le coupleur de sortie (110) définissant le trajet optique pour le milieu à effet laser (90), et
    dans lequel la cavité entre l'élément (101) et le coupleur de sortie (110) est à faible Q à la première fréquence de Stockes.
EP88309033A 1987-10-02 1988-09-29 Résonateur avec une cellule Raman dans la cavité Expired - Lifetime EP0314308B2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10362787A 1987-10-02 1987-10-02
US103627 1987-10-02

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0314308A1 EP0314308A1 (fr) 1989-05-03
EP0314308B1 EP0314308B1 (fr) 1994-09-07
EP0314308B2 true EP0314308B2 (fr) 2000-02-02

Family

ID=22296172

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP88309033A Expired - Lifetime EP0314308B2 (fr) 1987-10-02 1988-09-29 Résonateur avec une cellule Raman dans la cavité

Country Status (10)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0314308B2 (fr)
JP (1) JP2901072B2 (fr)
KR (1) KR920009920B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE3851407T3 (fr)
EG (1) EG18924A (fr)
ES (1) ES2059530T5 (fr)
IL (1) IL87771A (fr)
NO (1) NO180800C (fr)
TR (1) TR26533A (fr)
WO (1) WO1989003131A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4111835A1 (de) * 1991-04-11 1992-10-15 Eltro Gmbh Ramanlaser
GB2256082A (en) * 1991-05-24 1992-11-25 Synergetic Resources Ltd Infrared radiation source incorporating a raman medium for isotope separation
US5251221A (en) * 1992-08-10 1993-10-05 Hughes Aircraft Company Self aligning intracavity Raman laser
DE4423308A1 (de) * 1994-07-02 1996-01-04 Zeiss Carl Fa Intracavity-Raman-Laser

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3668420A (en) * 1970-09-25 1972-06-06 Ibm 1.5 micron raman laser
FR2542104B1 (fr) * 1983-03-04 1986-04-18 Centre Nat Rech Scient Procede et dispositif de creation d'impulsions lumineuses breves

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO180800C (no) 1997-06-25
ES2059530T5 (es) 2000-04-16
IL87771A (en) 1992-03-29
TR26533A (tr) 1994-04-22
NO892225L (no) 1989-06-01
EG18924A (en) 1994-07-30
DE3851407T3 (de) 2000-08-03
NO180800B (no) 1997-03-17
EP0314308B1 (fr) 1994-09-07
ES2059530T3 (es) 1994-11-16
JPH02501520A (ja) 1990-05-24
EP0314308A1 (fr) 1989-05-03
WO1989003131A1 (fr) 1989-04-06
DE3851407T2 (de) 1995-01-19
KR920009920B1 (en) 1992-11-06
JP2901072B2 (ja) 1999-06-02
DE3851407D1 (de) 1994-10-13
NO892225D0 (no) 1989-06-01
KR890702303A (ko) 1989-12-23

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